Well, we are cruising the last days of summer and soon be in the Fall (Sept 23rd France) , so we try to enjoy these days. Anyway, always good to bring the best of Wine news of France. First ,thanks to all my readers and/or followers! Oh yeah, the wines of France are just super simply awesome and a great tradition. Often imitated, some time equaled ,but never surpass! Let me give some news shall we; hope you enjoy it as I.
In 2021, world wine consumption was around 236 million hectoliters, an increase of 2 million hectoliters (+0.7%) compared to 2020. Discover the top 10 countries that drink the most wine in 2021. The EU’s share was estimated at 59% in 2000 and in 2021 it represented 48% of world consumption. 1, The United States: 33.1 million hectoliters, the equivalent of approximately 4.4 billion bottles of wine sold in 2021 ! 2. France: 25.2 million hectoliters ,the biggest consumer country in the EU, and represents 11% of world wine consumption in 2021 In 2021, 56% of French consumers are ready to spend between 11 and 20 euros to buy a bottle of wine, compared to 22% in 2013, and 23% of them say they are ready to pay more than 20 euros, compared to 6% in 2013. 3. Italy: 24.2 million hectoliters, 4. Germany: 19.8 million hectoliters, 5. The United Kingdom: 13.4 million hectoliters, 6. Spain: 10.5 million hectoliters In 2021, Spain recorded a 9.9% growth in its consumption compared to 2020, and thus returned to its pre-pandemic level,7. China: 10.5 million hectoliters, 8. Russia: 10.5 million hectoliters, 9. Argentina: 8.4 million hectoliters, and 10. Australia: 5.9 million hectoliters, Remember to do an exercise in per capita consumption,,,,,!
After a complicated 2021 vintage, 2022 portends an overall quality harvest. A year marked by drought and heat, of course, but which spared the vines from disease, In Provence, the first blows of the secateurs were given on August 11 on the earliest sectors of Cuers, Puget-Ville, Pierrefeu and La London. And the ball is slowly coming to an end in the territory of Provence Verte around Sainte-Baume , In Roussillon, the harvest also started early, 12 to 15 days ahead of the previous vintage, with particularly water stress important in hillside vineyards. The first estimates announce a harvest close to 540,000 hl. A volume equivalent to that of 2021, On the Bordeaux side, in the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur appellation area, we expect a rich, concentrated 2022 vintage, with rather modest production volumes, In the Rhône Valley, earliness is more contrasted. The areas harvested first, around Die with the Muscat, started around August 9-10, as did the Costières de Nîmes. This is unprecedented earliness, 15 to 20 days ahead of the 2021 vintage. Time changes indeed,
The Champagne EPC with 50,000 bottles sold in its first year and 150,000 bottles sold in 2021, and a second fundraising of 5.5 million euros in 2022, nothing seems to stop this young start-up from Champagne, exporting already its bottles across 30 countries and four continents. The brand relies on digital tools aimed at transforming the customer experience: the scanned label tells the story of the bottle, while the back label, fitted with a heat-sensitive sticker, indicates whether the champagne is at the ideal temperature to be tasted. The amount raised will be used to develop the brand on the French market initially, then for export, particularly on the American market. The brand, created in 2019 is based on a collaborative system between the cellar master and the partner winegrowers. Neither winegrower nor cooperative, EPC has the status of distributor-buyer, and works hand in hand with winegrowers, selected according to certain quality criteria and with an eco-responsible approach. To be continue,,,webpage: https://www.epc-champagne.com/#particulier
The Terressecrets cooperative launches the Cerço range with cuvées with a very good price-pleasure ratio, The Mâconnais is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful wine-growing landscapes in the world, but few people know it. This could justify the name Terressecrets or Secret Lands of this cooperative established for almost a century in Verzé and Prissé. The juices produced by the 120 families of winegrowers on 906 hectares of vines, almost half of which in the Mâcon Villages appellation and more than a quarter in the Saint-Véran ,are labeled Vignerons Committed to Sustainable Development. The cooperative, whose production oscillates around 6 million bottles, highlights the Cerço range, born from a desire to create a cuvée that is as neutral as possible for the environment. The range, largely dominated by white wines, brings together two appellations from the Mâconnais and three from the Côte d’Or. The well-balanced Mâcon-Villages will satisfy a wide audience. Mâcon-Verzé, chiseled, sapid, tense, shows more character. We also appreciate the great minerality of the Les Cras cuvée and the Pouilly-Fuissé, very precise, delicate, characterized by a more advanced ageing. Finally, Révélis, a blend of five climates from Saint-Véran, is more complex, riper, while remaining harmonious. Cerço production is currently limited to 85,000 bottles, webpage : https://terres-secretes.com/
We go once in a while and it has a store in Vannes so here is the Monoprix wine fair, from September 16 to October 2 2022. This year’s letimotiv: more fruity reds, whites and bubbles. Bordeaux, the first region represented, is followed very closely by Bourgogne, Rhône, Loire and Champagne , Note the marked presence of foreign wines and new generation Vins-de-France which are now a category in their own right named rebel wines and moreover, always very popular with city dwellers , An immediate 30% discount will be made at the cash desk with the loyalty card from three bottles purchased, according to the offer of the day, webpage: https://foire-aux-vins.monoprix.fr/
Saïd El Yousfi. This is the story of a boy born in Morocco, who grew up near Avignon, and whose wine-grower father worked for forty-five years for three families in Châteauneuf-du-pape , He joined PricewaterhouseCooper, and manages for seven years the wine-growing center and its 120 properties, including Château Margaux, Château Cos D’Estournel, Maison Louis Latour, Dom Pérignon. In 2021, at age 34, Saïd El Yousfi created his own trading house, Wineted, with partners such as ex-basketball player Tony Parker (San Antonio NBA), Offering wines from the fifty largest properties in the world, coming directly from the estates, via its website and a mobile application. 1,300 references are available, the oldest of which is a Château Gruaud Larose 1810! Wineted, which claims 600 customers, offers a concierge service from 1 euro per month in high-end storage locations in Bordeaux, Paris, Monaco and soon a fourth near Avignon. A home delivery service also exists. Finally, from September,2022 Wineted will offer high-level master classes in partnership with Alain Ducasse. They will take place every Thursday at the Salon des Manufactures ,11 Rue des Petits Champs in Paris. With such an offer, Saïd El Yousfi wishes to develop in Japan, the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Middle East. To be continue,,,webpage: https://maison-wineted.com/
On October 28, 2022, let’s celebrate Champagne! Every year, on the fourth Friday of October, Champagne is celebrated on Champagne Day. Many events are organized this year; some have already been identified in Japan and the United States. Are you a wine professional? You too can register your event on the website dedicated to Champagne Day: https://champagneday.champagne.fr/
Maison Dourthe (old house many years ago used to sell their wines in US) is launching a major plot selection project at Dourthe, we are passionate about the terroirs of Bordeaux. Their Châteaux and partner winegrowers, join hands to develop the “Lab Dourthe” on both sides of Bordeaux , with the ambition of creating the Bordeaux wines of tomorrow. The “Parcellaires” of Dourthe were therefore born from a desire to shake up the codes of a land of blending, and to reveal with purity the taste of the place. In the Graves ,they have selected two plots: a Sémillon planted in 1954 on gravelly clay soil, and a Cabernet-Sauvignon on deep gravel, in Haut-Médoc. This is a micro-project, they said will always be limited by the plots in terms of quantity. The production now is 2,500 bottles for each plot, and will distribute them on allocation in their various markets. Some examples I like is the Sémillon plots 54 2020, from Château Rahoul, Graves. This is a plot of Sémillon planted in 1954 (hence the name), on gravelly clay soil and limestone soil. On a wide range, find yellow fruits, especially mango, apricot, dried herbs, heather, marked aromas of warm butter and French toast, very clean cumin, and a hint of freshness thanks to the mint. The palate is finely textured and slightly oily. Yellow fruit, a hint of grapefruit, candied lemon, sweet spices (cumin) and peppermint on the finish. A deep and refined wine, The Château Reysson, Peykem plots, Haut Médoc ,the clay-limestone terrain faces due north. The maturation of Cabernet Sauvignon is slow. Aged 100% in amphorae for 12 months. The nose has a milky side, Reine Claude with brandy, crushed strawberry, menthol and bay leaf. The attack is on the freshness and the noble vegetable then the red fruits take the hand (currant, fruits of the forest). The finish is slightly milky and sweet, with a nice freshness. A straight wine, carried by a nice acidity. The dense and tight side of the tannins is attenuated by the micro oxygenation of the amphora. Love it !! webpage: http://www.dourthe.com/en/
And as we are also, great cheese consumers of many kinds and lived in the best country for them , me think ; here is a bit of helpful hints from the pros I follow too,
The main principles of cheese and wine pairing, First, avoid great wines, especially old ones, with cheese. Fragile and delicate, they risk being masked by too strong flavors With blue-veined cheeses, such as Roquefort, blues, Fourmes d’Ambert, go for a soft white that will envelop these cheeses with a strong personality. For strong flavored dry cheeses, such as Comté, Beaufort, Tomme, or Emmental, uncork a light, fruity wine such as Beaujolais, Saumur Rouge, or Sancerre Blanc, Arbois, Savoie, or Jura. For dry cheeses with a mild flavor, such as Cantal, light, dry and fruity red wines such as a Chinon, Bourgueil or Cabernet will be very suitable. White wines, such as Sancerre or Saumur, can also do the trick. For goat cheese, definitely go for white wine! Even semi-dry or even sweet wines can be excellent depending on the ripening of the cheese. For soft cheeses with a mild flavor, such as Brie or Brillat-Savarin, opt for light red wines such as certain Loire wines or tannic on Saint-Nectaire. Finally, for soft cheeses with a strong flavor such as Livarot, Maroille, Munster or Camembert, favor light red wines so as not to mask the flavors of these cheeses. A Burgundy, a Beaujolais, a Loire wine and sweet white wines will be perfect. En vino veritas !
There you go folks, another wine episode of my belle France! The wines of France that is, superbe, sublime, wonderful, gorgeous, enjoy without moderation but accompanying a meal, family table just perfect. See you in the vineyards of France.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 